Indian Defense
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Date of Event:
May 13, 2025
What Are Pakistan’s Kirana Hills, And Did India Strike Its Nuclear Facility?
Amid escalating tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack, India’s Operation Sindoor saw precision air strikes on multiple military sites in Pakistan, including bases at Rafiqui, Murid, and Nur Khan. As rumours of a hit on Pakistan’s nuclear-linked Kirana Hills swirled online, Air Marshal A.K. Bharti firmly denied any such strike, calling the claims unfounded.
- Zubair Amin
- May 13, 2025 9:17 AM Asia/Kolkata IST
Updated 3 hours ago
India denies striking Pakistan's Kirana Hills during Operation Sindoor; Air Marshal Bharti calls nuclear site attack claims unfounded.
In a high-profile tri-services briefing on Monday, India firmly dismissed speculation that it had targeted Pakistan’s Kirana Hills during its recent military operation. Kirana Hills, located in the Sargodha district of Pakistan’s Punjab province, is widely believed to be a secure facility where nuclear warheads are stored.
Rumours of a strike surfaced on social media following India’s Operation Sindoor, with several online handles sharing unverified images, maps, and videos claiming that a blast occurred at the Kirana Hills site.
“Thank you for telling us that Kirana Hills houses some nuclear installations. We did not know about it,” said Air Marshal A.K. Bharti, Director General of India’s Air Operations, responding lightly when questioned about the alleged strike.
The tone quickly turned serious as Air Marshal Bharti added, “We have not hit Kirana Hills, whatever is there. I did not brief in my briefing yesterday.”
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Operation Sindoor: India’s Targeted Strikes Following Pahalgam Terror Attack
India launched precision air strikes on May 7 in response to a deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, which left 26 people dead. The Indian military stated it had targeted only terror camps while deliberately avoiding both military and civilian areas.Pakistan, on the other hand, responded by launching mortar shells, missiles, and drones at Indian military and civilian sites.
In its counter-offensive, the Indian Air Force (IAF) struck 11 military sites deep within Pakistan, employing air-launched precision weapons. These included significant airbases at Rafiqui, Murid, Nur Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Chunian, Pasrur, and Sialkot, as confirmed by India’s Ministry of Defence.
Strategic Strike at Nur Khan Airbase Near Pakistan’s Nuclear Nerve Centre
Among the most strategically important targets was Nur Khan airbase in Chaklala, located near Rawalpindi, the headquarters of Pakistan’s military establishment. The base is home to vital transport squadrons and aircraft such as the C-130 Hercules and IL-78 mid-air refuelers, playing a key role in Pakistan’s logistical and strategic airlift capability.Crucially, the base is situated close to the Strategic Plans Division, the Pakistani body responsible for managing the country’s nuclear arsenal.
Quoting a former U.S. official familiar with Pakistan’s nuclear program, The New York Times reported, “Pakistan’s deepest fear is of its nuclear command authority being decapitated. The missile strike on Nur Khan could have been interpreted… as a warning that India could do just that.”
Satellite Imagery Hints at Strike Near Kirana Hills
Satellite images also suggested a strike on the runway of Mushaf airbase in Sargodha, another key military location in Pakistan. This base is considered strategically linked to underground nuclear storage sites believed to be located beneath the Kirana Hills.According to reports, multiple loitering penetrating munitions were used to target Mushaf airbase.
What are Kirana Hills?
The significance of Kirana Hills in Pakistan’s defence architecture cannot be overstated. Located roughly 20 km by road from Sargodha airbase and 75 km from the Khushab nuclear plant, the area is a restricted zone under Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence.A February 2025 report by the World Nuclear Association notes, “At Khushab, 200 km south of Islamabad, there are four heavy water reactors dedicated to production of weapons-grade plutonium.”
Kirana Hills are described as a highly fortified military zone housing extensive underground infrastructure. Spanning nearly 68 square kilometres and encircled by a 39-km perimeter, the site has been developed by Pakistan’s Special Works Development (SWD) unit.
At least 10 fortified tunnels, built using reinforced cement concrete (RCC) with thermo-mechanically treated iron rods, form part of the facility’s defence system. These designs are meant to withstand high-impact strikes.
IAF Dismisses Claims of Strike at Kirana Hills
Following India’s precision strikes at Nur Khan and Sargodha, speculation intensified that the IAF might have deliberately struck near Kirana Hills to send a signal — demonstrating both knowledge of and the ability to strike at Pakistan’s most sensitive locations.However, Air Marshal AK Bharti dismissed such talk during Monday’s briefing, reiterating that no attack was carried out on Kirana Hills. His slightly amused response — “Thank you for telling us that Kirana Hills houses some nuclear installations. We did not know about it” — was noted by many, especially for the smile that accompanied it, a moment that resonated with many Indians.
Also Read: Did India Hit At Pakistan’s Nuclear Facility In Kirana Hills? Indian Air Force Refutes Attack
